Curb and pavement finishing machine



April 14, 1959 R. J. KONWAY 2,331,683

cfiRB AND PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. kapenr J. Mummy- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

' Arum/EX R. J. KONWAY April 14, 1959 CURB AND PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 26, 1954 P082 J. Kan/MAY.

April 14, 1959 R. J. .KONWAY CURB AND PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINEI' 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 26. 1954 INVENTOR. Rom! J. ken/m4)- BY I 96% 40 /1 A ril 14, 1959 R. J. KONWAY CURB AND PAVEMENT FINISHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ROGER? J. Ko/uam).

ITTORAEY nit d St t F e 2,881,683 CURB AND PAVEMENT MACHINE Robert J. Konway, Inkster, Mich.

Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,428

Claims. (CI. 94-45) The machine of my invention includes, as apart thereof, a machine for the shaping of curbs out of plastic concrete, as described in my Patent No. 2,831,408.

The object of the machine is to spread plastic concrete in the course of its being applied to the surface of a road and to shape the curb portion of theroad.

I shall noW describe my improvement with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational viewof the machine;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the structure supporting pneumatic means for raising blade means adapted to shape the surface of the pavement;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged side elevational views, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, of laterally-movable carriages and a blade supported thereby, the views disclosing the same blade in dilferent operative positions;

Fig. 7 is an end view of a cam serving as an operative element of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of thecam;

Fig. 9 is a fiat projection of the groove of the cam;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevational view of the elements guided by said cam in their operative movements as viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of a blade employed in said machine;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a pusher element at the end of said blade;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic presentation of the function of a concrete-moving'element of my machine.

:of said frame.

The main portion of theframe carries means for the formation of the street curbs out of concrete in its plastic stage, which means have already been described by me-in my said Patent No. 2,831,408. Inview thereof, the description of said means in the present specification will be brief, but sufficient enough to the disclosure of the operativeconhection of said means with'the inventive featuresfirstpresented in this application.

The means include a motor 16 which', by means of cog Wheels 17 and 18, is connected to a train-of reduction .gears (not shown) :in ahousing v19. The :motor,

the :gear housing, and other elements 'to be described herein are mounted on cross-beams of the frame 10,'the beams being generally'marked 20. Driven by means of .a chain -21 from a sprocket 22 which ismounted on a 2,881,683 Patented Apr. 14, 1959 shaft 23 projecting from said gear housing 19, are two curb-shaping members, generally marked 24, each of them including aplurality of blades 24a radially projecting from the hub structure 25 of the respective curbshaping member 24. It is these blades which at their operative ends have an outline designed to impart to the curb the desired profile.

Power for the forward movement of the machine is delivered from the same motor 16 through the reduction .gears in housing 19. Specifically, a sprocket wheel 26, driven by the shaft 23 projecting from the housing 19, is connected by a train of sprocket wheels and chains, including chain 26a, to a horizontally-disposed shaft 27. The shaft is supported for rotation about its axis by two standards 28, one upon each side member 15 of the frame 10. Sprocket wheel and chain means driven by said shaft impart a rotary movement to two pairs of wheels 12 at the front portion of the frame so that the wheels may serve as traction wheels for the purpose of propelling said frame forwardly upon said rails 11, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is the same shaft 27 which serves as a means for transmission of power from the motor for the operation of the mechanism which I shall now describe and which is new.

The shaft is composed of a number of short component parts in end-to-end relation, the parts being connected by knuckle joints 28a. Disposed in a parallel relation to the shaft 27, close to one side 15 of the frame 10, is a shaft 29. The shaft is supported at its ends, for rotation about its axis, in pillow blocks 30, said blocks being mounted on respective cross-rails 20. Keyed to the shaft for rotation therewith is a cylindrical member 31, the member being provided with a continuous sinuous groove 32 the course of which, in flat projection, is shown in Fig. 9. The sides of the groove are in parallel relation to each other, the bottom of the groove being defined by the surface of the axial portion 33 of the cylindrical member which will be briefly referred to as a cam.

A sprocket wheel 34 keyed to shaft 27 drives, by means of a chain 35, a sprocket wheel 36 axially keyed to shaft 29. A similar cam, 31w, is keyed to shaft 37 close to the opposite side 15 of the frame 10, and is driven by means of a similar arrangement, that is, by a sprocket wheel 34a on shaft 27, a sprocket wheel 36a on shaft 37, and a chain 35a operatively connecting the last two named sprocket wheels. Both sprocket wheels 36 and 36a are controlled by manually-operated clutches which are =generally marked 38 and 38a, respectively. As clutches in general are well known, their specific construction in this case is notshown and the respective parts of the drawings maybe considered as merely of symbolic nature.

As each cam operates in the same manner, -I will restrict the description of the operations of said cams to one of them, specifically, the cam 31, and to the elements actuated thereby.

Disposed forwardly thereof are three pairs of carriages, each pair including one carriage generally identified by numeral 40 and one carriage identified by numeral 41. 'Each carriage includes a horizontally-disposed channel member composed of a top plate 42 and a downwardlyextending flange 42a at 'each side thereof. Secured to one fiangeis a downwardly-extending side plate 43, and secured to the other flange is another side plate 43a, the plates being in a spaced relation to each other. Thus,'as seen from one end, the structure has the outline of an inverted letter U.

Located under the plate 42, at each end thereof, is a .pair of rollers 44 :which at their respectiveends-are jourfnalled in said flanges, and located at a lower level within said carriage is a single roller 45. The roller is jour- -na-lled, at=its Opposite ends,1partlywithin s aid. si de ,walls 3 43 and 43a and partly within members 51 to which I shall refer again.

Disposed below the top plate 42, and secured thereto, is a U-shaped bracket 46 serving as a means for support of a vertical post 47 which rises upwardly through an aperture 46a in said plate 42. This is shown in Fig. 10.

The rollers 44 rest on an inverted U-shaped rail or track 48 transversely to the length of said rail which extends parallel to the front member 14 of the frame from one side of said frame to the other. Secured to the underside of said rail 48 is a flat plate 49 to which I shall refer again. Projecting from each side of the carriage 40, inwardly, are box-like brackets, generally identified by numeral 50, each of said brackets including a vertical panel 51 spaced from the respective side of the carriage, the panel being connected at the top and bottom to said side by transverse members 52. Each panel carries on the side facing the other panel one or more cups 53, each containing a single, anti-friction ball 54. The balls in the opposed cups bear against the sides of the rail 48, as best shown in Fig. 6. Similar cups 53 with balls 54 are employed on the opposed faces of carriages 40 and 41, respectively.

Each carriage 41 is similar in structure with carriage 40, with the exception that it is not as wide and that the upper rollers 57 therein, analogous to rollers 44, are shorter, and that it contains no box brackets 50 in its lower portion, thus permitting therein the use of a longer lower roller 56a. The top wall 60 of carriage 41 is provided with an opening 61 through which another guiding post extends upwardly from a supporting bracket which is not shown but which is like bracket 46 shown in Fig. 10. The bracket is disposed below said wall 60 and is suspended therefrom.

Rollers 57 within said carriage 41 rest on a horizontal rail 62 which is but a duplication of the parallel rail 48 already described, and is disposed forwardly of the same rail but at the same level.

Projecting at an angle rearwardly from said plate 42 of carriage 40, and preferably welded thereto, is a boss 63 serving as a housing for a short shaft 64 which at the top terminates with a roller 65 axially mounted on the shaft for rotation thereabout. The roller fits into the groove 32 in the cylindrical member or cam 31 already described herein, the axis of the roller being in a radial relation to the axis of the cam 31. The diameter of the roller is to be smaller than the width of the groove for a rolling contact with one side only of the groove.

It will be noted that carriage 40 of the centrally-located pair of carriages is not connected to any cam.

Vertically fitting between the carriages 40 and 41, and clamped between two angle rails 66, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is a blade 67. The angle rails include horizontal flanges 68 which contain apertures 69. It is through these apertures that posts 47 rise upwardly from the respective supporting brackets, the posts serving as guiding means for the assembly including said angle rails and the blade clamped therebetween. It will be noted that the sides of the angle rails are in contact with the balls 54 in holders or cups 53 already described in the course of this specification.

The blade 67 is disposed in a vertical plane and extends from a point spaced from one side 15 of the frame to a point spaced from the other side 15 of said frame, the spacing at each end being such as to permit said blade to be moved edgewise to the extent by the cam in its operative action.

In order that the position of the blade may be adjusted with respect to said angle rails 66, the blade is provided with arcuate slots 90 extending transversely to the width of the blade. Bolts 91, passing through apertures in angle rails and said slots, keep the blade at a desired heightabove the level of the pavement on which the blade to operate. The slots are curved to permit the blade 4 to be moved vertically at one end higher or lower than at the other end.

Mounted upon the frame 10 of the machine, at the front portion thereof, specifically, upon the front member 14 and upon a parallel rail 70 spaced therefrom, are two derrick-like rectangular stands, generally marked 71. The framework of each stand comprises two pairs of stanchions, 72 and 73, respectively, the first pair being mounted on said member 14 and the second pair being mounted on said rail 70, all the stanchions converging towards each other at their upper portions. The stanchions are reinforced by horizontal ties 74 and serve to support a horizontal platform 75.

Secured to the underside of the platform, by any suitable means, are two pillow blocks 76, and pivotally suspended therefrom, by means of a pin 77 fitting into bearings 78 in said blocks, is a cylinder 79. The cylinder is closed at the top and is provided at its lower end with a cap 80 containing an axial aperture 80a for reception of a rod 81. The latter is connected at its upper end to a reciprocating piston inside the cylinder, which piston is adapted to be moved up or down by fluid means under pressure, such as air or a liquid. This piston will be of a double action, floating type, to allow for movement when the blade is in contact with the pavement.

As the structures of this type are well known, the component parts of the cylinder and the piston are not shown in the drawings. The fluid medium is delivered to the cylinder by means of a flexible hose 82 from a source of supply, shown at 83 in Fig. 2, and returned by means of a similar hose, which is not shown.

The rod 81 fits into the central stem 84 of a T-joint 85, said stem being disposed at right angle to the main portion of the joint which holds a horizontal rod 86. The latter is journalled at its ends in a pair of pillow blocks 87 which are secured to the horizontal flanges 68 of the angle rails 66. The rails, as stated above, serve as means for clamping the blade 67 therebetween.

The blade may be composed of a number of shorter blades which are joined endwise in an overlapping relation to each other, as shown in Fig. 11 where the dotted line 91 indicates the end of one short blade, While the solid line 92 indicates the end of another short blade 67a. The area between the two lines shows the extent of the overlapping relation of said shorter blades.

It will be further noted that the blade defined at one end by line 92 is provided at its opposite end with a flange 67b disposed at right angle thereto, and that it is secured, by means of said flange, to a transverse member or pusher 93.v The latter is made of a plate which at its upper end includes a portion 94 bent to a horizontal plane, as best shown in Fig. 11.

I shall now describe the operation of the machine.

First, it will be assumed that the machine is mounted on rails 11 for movement forwardly. As the vertical blade 67 is designed to operate upon the paving material in plastic stage, in order to spread it at a certain level or to a certain height above the bed of the road, the blade has to be adjusted vertically till the lower rim of the blade is at the desired height. This may be accomplished by means of the cylinders 79. A fluid medium delivered under pressure to each of the cylinders by a hose 82 will operate, by means of a piston in each cylinder, a respective rod 81 and the clamping members 68 to vertically move the blade 67 which is clamped between said members. It will be understood that the pivoted suspension of the cylinder 79 from pillow blocks 76 in the respective stand 71 will permit a limited pendulum like movement of the cylinder 79 with its piston rod 81. The blade 67, as described above, is connected to said rod 81. This is effected by means of a short cross rod 86 at the lower end of said piston 51. The cross rod 86 is journalled in pillow blocks 87 on top of the angle rails which carry the pavement shaping blade 67. As the blade 67 is moved edgewise, the cylinder will be moved in a limited pendulum like movement. The piston rod 81 will move with it as it is drawn by the respective carriage which supports the blade. In the course, of said movement of the rod 81, the short rod 86 will turn slightly about its axis, leaving the carriages with the blade in their substantially horiiontal position. I

It will be further assumed that a quantity of the paving material, in plastic stage, has been deposited in front of the machine and possibly roughly spread over the road bed. Should the motor now be started, the power developed thereby will be applied tom'ov'e the machine for wardly. This will be accomplishedby means of the traction wheels 12 resting on rails 11. The wheels are driven by a chain and sprocket mechanism. The mechanism is not shown, but is operated in the customary manner from shaft 27 which, by intermediate means, is driven by said motor. a

Simultaneously, the same shaft will drive, by means of a chain, the above-said earn 31. The latter is in engagement with a roller carried by a member 63 which is mounted on a carriage 40. As the cam is set rotating about its axis, the carriage, in c'o-a'ction with a comple= mentary carriage 40, will move the vertical blade 67 reciprocally back and forth, edge'wi'se, over the road, to spread the plastic paving material to a desired contour of the surface and to push the excess of said material forwardly. The pusher plate 93, secured transversely to one end of the blade 67, and extending rearwardly therefrom, will serve, with every movement of the blade towards said rail '11, to shove a quantity of said paving material towards the curb-shaping rotary blades 24a operating alongside said 'ahd shaping a curb along the pavement.

The operative function of the pusher plate 93 is shown in Fig. 13 where the plate is showirin three consecutive stages of its operation. Line C-C indicates the relative position of the curb with respect to the pusher plate 93 which is shown in its relative position to the pavementshaping plate 67a.

As the plate 67a is reciprocated with respect to the curb line CC, while the whole machine moves forwardly, said plate will first move from the position marked 1 to the position marked 2, pushing ahead of it excess plastic-paving material. As a result, the path of the pusher plate 93, at the junction with plate 67a, will follow a diagonal path indicated by line X-X.

On the next move of the plate, to position 3, that is, diagonally towards the curb line CC, the whole face of the pusher plate 93 will bear against surplus paving material diagonally towards the curb, over an area y, x, z, and 1 thus pushing said material towards the rotary curbshaping means.

It may be mentioned here that according to the accepted practice the surface of the pavement, when made, defines a slight parabolic curve, dipping towards the curb. To impart to it the above form, the end portion of plate 67a close to the curb would sink deeper into the plastic mass than at points further remote from the curb. As the pusher plate is connected to that end of plate 67a which adjoins the curb, it also sinks correspondingly deeply into the plastic concrete and is capable of moving substantial quantities of said concrete towards the rotary curb-shaping means.

After having described my machine, what I wish to claim is as follows:

1. A curb and road pavement shaping machine for operation on pavement material in plastic stage, the machine comprising a framework mounted on wheels, including traction wheels, adapted to travel on rails extending along the sides of the road, rotary curb-shaping means along at least one side of the framework and adapted to adjoin said rails, the means including a hori zontal shaft disposed at right angle to said side and a plurality of flat blades radially projecting from the shaft, each blade having a contoured operative edge defining the outline ofthe curb to be shaped, a vertical blade suspended within trrerrameaheaa of said rotary curb shaping means and extending transversely to the road, means to adjust the position of the blade vertically for engagement of the lower edge 0f the plate with said material to form the surface of the road, a transverse plate affixed to the corresponding end of the vertical bladeand adapted to push a part of said material towards the curb-shaping blades, clamping means adapted to hold the vertical blade therebet'ween, rotary cam means in engagement with said clamping means, and power-supplying means mounted on said frame to drive the traction wheels to move. the frame forwardly and, at the same time, to -drive the cam means to impart a reciprocating, lateral movement to the vertical blade and the pusher and to rotate the curbsha'ping means. 4 p

2. A curb and road pavement shaping machine for operation on pavement material in plastic stage, the machine comprising a frarnework mounted on wheels, including traction wheels, adaptedto travel on rails cirte'nding along the sides of the road, rotary curb-shaping means 'alongat least one side of the framework and adapted to adjoin said fails, the means consisting of a shaft and a pluralitybf fiatblades projecting radially therefrom, each blade being disposed in a 'plane passing through the axis of the shaft and having a contoured operative 'edg'e for engagement with said material, the edgedefining the outline of the curb to be shaped, a plurality of pairs of opposed carriages adapted to move transversely to the length of the road, 'rail means within the frameforwardly of the curb-shaping means to support said carriages in their movem nt, the pairs'being spaced from each other 1ater'a11y,e'achcarria e'in a pair carrying a clamping member adapted for co-operation with a similar clamping member carried by the other carriage of the same pair, a fia't 've'r'tical blade clamped between said clamping members, the lower edge'of the blade being contoured to the desired shape of the upper surface 'of the pavement to be formed, a plurality of stands mounted upon the frame of the machine, a cylinder pivotally suspended in each stand, the cylinder containing a piston connected, by intermediate means, with the vertical blade, and means to admit to the cylinder, for the operation of the piston, a fluid medium under pressure to adjust, by means of said piston, the position of the blade vertically, a pusher plate mounted upon one end of the vertical blade transversely to its plane for co-operation with said curb-shaping means, power means coupled to the traction wheels in order to move the machine forwardly, said power means being also used to rotate the curbshaping means and to actuate a cam to impart a laterallyreciprocating movement to the carriages and the vertical blade held by the clamping members mounted on said carriages.

3. A road pavement shaping machine for operation on pavement material in plastic stage, the machine comprising a framework mounted on wheels, including traction wheels, adapted to travel on rails extending along the sides of the road, a plurality of pairs of opposed carriages adapted to move transversely to the length of the road, transverse rail means within the frame to support said carriages in their movement, the pairs being spaced from each other laterally, each carriage in a pair carrying a clamping member adapted for co-operation with a similar clamping member carried by the other carriage of the same pair, a vertical blade clamped between said clamping members, the lower edge of the blade being contoured to the desired contour of the upper surface of the pavement to be shaped by the machine, rotary cam means in engagement with the clamping members, means to adjust the position of the blade vertically, power means to drive the traction wheels in order to move the machine forwardly and cam means operated by said power means to drive the cam means to impart a laterally-reciprocating movement to the carriages.

a ress- I 4. A pavement-shaping machine for operation on pavement material in plastic stage, the machine comprising a framework mounted on wheels, including traction wheels, adapted to travel on rails extending along the sides of the road, a plurality of pairs of opposed carriages adapted to move transversely to the length of the road, rail means within the frame to support said carriages in their movement, the pairs being spaced from each other laterally, each carriage in a pair carrying a clamping member adapted for co-operation with a similar clamping member carried by the other carriage of the same pair, a vertical blade clamped between said clamping members, the lower edge of the blade being contoured to the desired upper surface of the pavement to be formed by said pavement-shaping machine, a plurality of stands mounted upon the frame of the machine, a cylinder suspended in each stand, the cylinder containing a piston connected by intermediate means with the vertical blade, and means to admit to the cylinder for the operation of the piston a fluid medium under pressure to adjust by means of said piston the position of the blade vertically, power means to drive the traction wheels in order to move the machine forwardly and cam means operated by said power means to impart a laterally-reciprocating movement to the carriages with the vertical blade held by the clamping members mounted on said carriages.

5. A curb and road pavement shaping machine for operation on pavement material in a plastic stage, the machine comprising a framework mounted on wheels, including traction wheels adapted to travel on rails extending along the sides of the road, curb-shaping means along at least one side of the framework and adapted to adjoin said rails, the means including a plurality of horizontal shafts disposed parallel to each other, transversely to the respective side of said framework and supported thereby, and a plurality of flat blades projecting from each shaft radially, each bladebeing disposed in a plane passing through the axis of the respective shaft and having a contoured operative edge adapted to define the outline of the curb to be shaped, each shaft being adapted to be rotated about its axis, a plurality of pairs of opposed carriages disposed forwardly of said curb-shaping means and adapted to move transversely to the length of the road, rail means within the framework to support said carriages in their movement, said pairs of carriages being spaced from each other laterally, each carriage in a pair carrying a clamping member adapted for co-operation with a similar clamping member carried by the other carriage of the same pair, a flat vertical blade clamped between said clamping members, the blade having a contoured lower edge to impart the desired shape to the upper surface of the pavement, a pusher plate mounted upon the corresponding end of the vertical blade transversely to its plane for co-operation with the curb-shaping means, power means to drive the traction wheels in order to drive the machine forwardly and to rotate the curbshaping means, and cam means actuated by said power means to impart a lateral reciprocating movement to the carriages and the vertical blade held by the clamping 5 members mounted on said carriages.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,388,690 Baker Aug. 23, 1921 1,619,083 Maxon Mar. 1, 1927 1,760,442 Robb May 27, 1930 1,933,377 Low Oct. 31, 1933 2,187,080 Heltzel Jan. 16, 1940 2,219,246 Jackson Oct. 22, 1940 2,252,188 Krehbiel Aug. 12, 1941 2,373,828 Harrington Apr. 17, 1945 2,587,321 Hohnke Feb. 26, 1952 2,650,525 Jones Sept. 1, 1953 

